Persis & Andros
by SilverHuntresses
Summary: [Genderbent Perseus/Andromeda legend] Instead of Perseus and Andromeda, I introduce to you... Persis and Andros! My Christmas Present to my buddy ObeliskX!


Not all legends or heroes ended up sad or dead by murder.

This is the only one that doesn't.

Argos was a beautiful place. Brave soldiers, strong harvests and people who venerated the gods following the rituals. Argos was ruled by King Acrisius. Some would say he was a fair ruler, but those would be the ones benefiting from his ruling. Some other would say that he was some kind of tyrant, because they wouldn't benefit from his ruling?

Acrisius had a daughter, Danae. She was a beautiful girl, who worried about her kingdom, and was loved by everyone around her. Which, somehow, worried her father. You see, Acrisio thought his twin brother and Danae's uncle, Proetus, was interested in his daughter, mainly to take his throne. Acrisius traveled to Delphi, in the search of answers to solve that particular problem.

Instead, he found another set of them.

 _"You'll never bare male children of your own..."_ The Oracle of Delphi had told him, tearing his expectations that his Queen Eurydice would bear his heir. _"And, which ever child your daughter has, will kill you..."_

Immediately connecting and believing that his brother Proetus will force his way with Danae, only to have a child that will avenge him, Acrisius returned to Argos to lock his only daughter into a safe chamber to keep her protected and virgin. Acrisius believed that the gods punished severely to those who killed their relatives.

Danae never understood why her father had locked her away, but she followed his orders, staying in that tiny room, with only a window to see the sky. She begged and prayed daily to the gods, not to get her out of that place, but to understand why her father had locked her away. She was patient, waiting for a reply, a little sign.

One day, the most unexpected visitor that Danae would had hoped for arrived. It didn't arrived the normal way, avoiding the guards that were standing on her door. Nor it arrived in a solid way. It arrived like a gold rain through the only window that she had. The only connection with the world. The golden rain covered her and, somehow, Danae knew that she'd never be alone again...

* * *

Acrisius would be the first one to admit he was embarrassed for forgetting about his own daughter during a long time. His close eye on his own brother had almost occupied all of his time. He walked down the hall and stairs where his daughter was staying ( _kept_ would be a strong word that he would never use) when he heard a painful cry. Since he hadn't reached the door yet, he assumed that Danae's guards had been murdered and she was being attacked.

He rushed down the hallways to find not only the guards alive and at their stations, but Danae still screaming in pain and suffering.

"What are you doing standing there? Open the door!" He ordered. The guards didn't dare to disobey him, and quickly opened the door. Acrisius rushed inside the room to see Danae holding up her stomach, kneeled on the floor, and sweating immensely. But, what caught Acrisius' eye was the giant bump on Danae's stomach.

His daughter was in labor.

"Father- Ahhh!" Danae screamed in pain. It was obviously painful for her, and she didn't expect her father to be there, but she couldn't hide her emotions at the moment. It would be an impossible task. Acrisius stood there a few seconds, in shock, before his father's instincts kicked inside his brain.

"Go get some help!" He shouted to one of the guards. As fast as he could, the guard left, leaving the other guard with a shocked King and an in-labor Princess. Surely, not how he thought of spending his day today... "Danae..."

"Father..." Danae replied, almost with no more energies other than to scream in pain.

"Danae, who did this to you? Who forced upon you?" Acrisius was furious. Not at his daughter, as she had done nothing to deserve his hate. "It was your Uncle, Proetus? Tell me the truth, Danae... Don't spare my feelings..." He asked her, while waiting. He knew he would have to take a decision once this was over.

"Not- Ahh! Not Uncle Proetus..." Danae admitted, looking at her father in the eye. "It came to me as- ack! As a golden rain- Ahhh!" Was the last thing Acrisius was able to hear from Danae, as the midwife had arrived to take care of things. Acrisius was ordered-yeah, that'r right, _ordered_ -to stay out of the room until everything was over.

Golden rain? Somehow, Acrisius didn't believe Danae's word, which could be insane as Danae was known for telling the truth. All his thought led to the idea that his grandchild could be the son of a god. If Danae wasn't lying and she had been carrying the son of a god, Acrisius could be punished in the Underworld. But, it would be more probably that he could be punished in the Underworld for executing his own blood.

What could be a midway decision...?

"My King..." The midwife returned to the King, wiping her hand on her dress. The face on the midwife said it all, the baby boy was born and Acrisius would be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life until his grandson was an adult and killed him. However, he felt the need to check on his daughter, who laying there, smiling at the bundle next to her, before falling into a peaceful slumber.

With heavy heart, the King refused to look at the baby and quickly walked back to the main palace.

If he had stayed, he would had seen that the baby wasn't a boy, like he thought... but a baby _girl_.

* * *

Danae woke up with the cries of her newborn child on her arms.

 _She must be hungry..._ She thought, still exhausted for the birth. Though, she'd not change it for the world, as like she had begged many times before, she'd never be alone. Opening her eyes slightly, she turned to her baby girl when she noticed something different in her surroundings. Where were the stone walls that were her home for several months now? From where did it come the wood planks?

Finally opening her eyes, she looked around and saw that she and her daughter were on a boat. Floating away with the current. The boat was filled with enough food to survive for ten days, if the thirst or the heat didn't get them before the food was over. Or if Poseidon, god of the Sea, wasn't benevolent with them. Danae saw this as for what it was immediately.

Execution.

He tried not to think about how she felt about her father's decision, but more on how to survive for her daughter. Immediately setting her eyes on the sky, she looked for birds, as those noble animals never fly too further into the sea without having land around. She considered begging for help to the gods, but... what have the gods done for her? Did they get her out of that cell she called room? Did they helped her understand why her father had placed her there? Or why he had sentenced her and her daughter for death upon the unknown?

Danae, from that moment on, decided to worship the gods, but wasn't gonna expect something in return from them.

* * *

On their third day, Danae had seen a bird flying above the boat. _Land..._ She used a plank that was used as a cover for the food to paddle, following the bird. Instead of land, Danae saw another boat, the boat of a fisherman. Knowing that it was better than nothing, Danae reached the boat, waving at the fisherman, who looked surprised at the sight of a girl on a boat. Immediately, he welcomed her aboard.

"Gods, my dear child..." The fisherman covered her and the baby with a blanket, comforting them. "What are you doing in the middle of the sea...?"

"I woke up inside that boat with my baby after her birth..." Danae explained, rocking her daughter. "My father..."

"No father should do that to their family..." The fisherman stated, immediately liking Danae. She looked like an innocent girl who was caught in a very insane family. "I have no family of my own to take care of, except of my brother, but he can take care of himself... Would you like someone to help you?" He offered, no malice behind his words.

Danae hesitated a little at the sudden offer. No one should take the offer of an stranger, but Danae had nothing but the clothes on her back.

"I'd like the help..." She accepted, nodding. "There must be something I can do to pay back your hospitality and help..."

"Nonsense, child..." The fisherman waved at her, smiling. "Your company could be enough to pass the time during lonely times on land..." Danae nodded. "Can I ask your names, my dear?"

"I'm Danae. And this is Persis..."

"Danae? As King Acrisius's daughter?" The fisherman shocked Danae with his knowledge on her person. "My name is Dictis, and I'm the brother of King Polydectes, in Serifos..." He introduced himself. "Your name must never reach my brother's ears, my dear... My brother is a tyrant and would stop at nothing to have a hold on you..."

Danae knew that someone had send this noble man towards her and Persis. She accepted his advice and immediately changed her name, but not Persis'. There was no danger for the newborn baby girl, as Danae was convinced her father thought she had given birth to a boy. She took Dictis' past wife, Marna, and was cared for Dictis like she was her own flesh and blood.

* * *

Persis grew up with her mother and adoptive grandfather in a house by the beach, away from the palace life that Dictis hated so much. Dictis wanted his adoptive granddaughter to have a normal life, to have friends. But that has been impossible since his brother Polydectes had set his eyes on Danae. He still remembered the moment like if it was the day before...

 _"Brother!"_

 _"My King Polydectes... What an honor..." Dictis had rushed to hid Danae and Persis on another room, so he could greet the sovereign._

 _"Nonsense, Dictis... I might be the King, but I'm your brother first of all..." Polydectes had to act in front of his troops, who always came with him everywhere. "How's been the sea? Did Poseidon rewarded you with a bounty?"_

 _"He has rewarded me, I can assure you brother..." Dictis nodded, knowing from the beginning that they have a different meaning for the word 'reward'. Unfortunately, Polydectes had noticed the other room and, believing that his brother was hiding something, he barged in. The moment Polydectes set his eyes on Danae, he had set a new aim. "Marna, I apologize for this intrusion..." Dictis had apologized to Danae._

 _"Nothing to apologize, Dictis..." Danae nodded in understanding. Upon the suggestion of Dictis, both Danae and Persis were wearing black, in the meaning of mourning. "Who is your guest?"_

 _"He's-"_

 _"My name is not important, my beautiful lady..." Polydectes had rushed to interrupt Dictis, letting him know he was interested. "My lady, you shouldn't be wearing that awful color..."_

 _"I'm mourning the death of my husband and father of my daughter." Danae's voice hadn't given room to reply. Only then, Polydectes noticed the baby girl on her arms, and his face had turned into a scowl._

 _"In that case, I'll leave you to your mourning, my lady..."_

Polydectes had retreated that day, but he had come back monthly, to check upon Danae, as if Dictis did a bad job at it. Dictis started to stop venturing further away from the coast, in fear that his brother arrived when he was away. Persis had to grew up early than most girls did, to protect her mother. Danae wanted her daughter to be a normal girl, but it was obvious that it was not the case.

When Persis was old enough to be courted, Dictis began fearing for both his girls' safety. He thought Polydectes would go out of his way that one of his generals courted Persis and, with the free path, he would court Danae. Dictis knew that Persis would never allow it, but he began taking safety measures just in case.

* * *

Like Dictis predicted, Polydectes had gone out of his way to ensure both women were married to the people he wanted. Danae flatly refused all the time, but Persis fought last time against one of Polydectes' guards when they tried to take her away. She even killed the guard, earning gasps and hateful looks from everyone.

Finally, Polydectes came up with a plan to separate Danae-who he believed was called Marna-from her daughter. She was beginning to become a danger, not only for him, but to his people. So, he announced widely and highly that he was gonna marry another woman, princess Hippodamia, and requested that his subjects gave him a gift for his future nuptials.

Persis didn't have anything to give, as she and her family lived a fisherman's life and they were content with it. They couldn't give the King fish, as much as Persis wanted to smash some into his royal face. So, when it was her turn to present a present for the King, Persis arrived empty handed.

"No gift for my upcoming wedding, Persis...?" Polydectes faked disappointment, along with the rest of his court.

"I couldn't think of a proper gift for your wedding, Your Majesty." Persis admitted, leaving out that she wanted to smack the monarch on the face. "If you, however, still require a gift from me and my family, I'll try to please you by bring it to you..." Dangerous words never were spoken before, as Polydectes smirked on how easy was to trick Persis into her own doom.

"Bring me the Medusa."

The mention of those four words froze the entire population that was within ear shot. Persis herself was paralyzed in her place, but didn't show the fear coming out of her face. She simply bowed and retreated towards her house. Dictis would like to know everything.

* * *

"Persis, I beg of you! This is suicidal!" Danae begged to her daughter, as soon as the news of her quest were laid out. "I won't lose you to that- that-"

"There are not enough words to describe that man, mother." Persis tried to calm her mother down, but she knew it was useless. "But, I must do it... Because he has given me the perfect way to making him pay for all the suffering and anger he had made _us_ go through..." She turned to look at Dictis, who had been silent during the conversation. "I'll use the Medusa against him, mother, and we three will be free..."

"No man has returned alive from facing that monster, Persis..." Dictis pointed out, trying to induce some fear of survival in the young girl. However, Persis simply smirked.

"Then, it's a good thing I'm no man..."

* * *

Persis had set a course in her journey, as well as a goal. Her first stop would be the place of the Graeae, sisters of the Gorgons, to which Medusa was part of. They not only would tell her the location of the hideous beast, who was said had snakes instead of hair and killed instantly with her eyes, but could also tell her the location of the Hesperides, the nymphs in charge of tending the legendary garden of the goddess Hera. Persis ignored that the gods were looking after her, as her stubbornness didn't allow her to believe that the gods existed.

The trip to the Graeae took him two weeks, as her only transport were her own feet. In the way, Persis meditated how it would be the perfect way to kill the monster. People who encounter her in the way told the story differently, but they all agreed in one thing: Medusa was created by Athena, the goddess of wisdom, as a revenge to Poseidon. And her looks paralyzed even the most brave men.

When Persis finally arrived to the Graeae, they were arguing over who would get the eye that time. They were arguing so bad and so loudly, they never heard Persis walking in or even asking them something. Knowing that there was only one way for them to pay her attention, Persis grabbed the eye from one of the sisters and demanded to know where were the Hesperides. The Graeae cursed her and refused to help, but Persis claimed she would destroy the eye unless she was pointed towards the Hesperides.

Defeated, the Graeae gave Persis the direction towards the Hesperides, where they kept several items necessary for the destruction of Medusa. Before returning the eye, as promised, Persis grabbed a pair of winged shoes and a polished shield. Why they were keeping it with them, Persis didn't want to know, but it was a way to make the trip shorter and easier. Once she flew away, she dropped the eye back to the Graeae, as promised.

It took less to find the Hesperides' garden. What Persis feared of this incursion weren't the Hesperides, but Ladon, the dragon who kept guard under the Golden Tree. Even though Persis wasn't there to steal golden apples from the tree, she was careful around the beast. Luckily both the Hesperides and Ladon were sleeping peacefully. Feeling in a bit of luck, Persis managed to grab a hold to a bag that was able to carry Medusa's head, a sword that couldn't be broken with anything and, what was a surprise for the girl, a helmet that could turn you invisible. She ignored who it belonged to, but she promised that such valuable artifact should be return once the quest was over.

The sleeping Hesperides never knew what happened until they woke up and noticed the missing items. By that time, it was too late to punish the culprit, as Persis was already on her way towards Medusa's lair. Said lair was further from civilazation, in a very obvious way to say ' _do not get here!_ '. Persis had no one to stop her, not even the several statues that adorned the entrance dissuaded her. She walked in, confident, but careful at the same time.

She was either in a luck strike, or she was just arriving at the right time, because she not only found Medusa, but also her sisters asleep (what Persis ignored was that the gods were stopping her on her way, so she could arrive at the perfect time). Persis wouldn't believe her luck, but she decided to make use of it. Not wasting any more time, she pulled out the helmet that turns your invisible, the sword that could not break with anything and the polished shield, and approached Medusa.

Medusa's most hated feature, her eyes, were shut close, as the monster slept peacefully. Pesis did not hesitated, raising her sword and decapitating her from one slash. She quickly placed her treasure on her bag and, using the winged shoes that she had found, flew away, but not before watching how the remains of Medusa gave birth to two more monsters, both who woke up Medusa's sisters to go after her. However, Persis disappeared thanks to the borrowed helmet.

* * *

Persis' return journey was faster than she imagined, mainly because she already knew what dangers lied in front of her. What she didn't imagine to encounter was to give a wrongful turn around and end up going through a kingdom call Arthiopia. She was passing by when she noticed something holding onto a rock, facing the ocean.

It was in that moment that Persis considered, for the first time, the existence of the gods, as there was one standing, or more likely, tied up in front of him. Persis never had shown interest in the opposite sex, but she was captivated by this young man that was trying not to show weakness. She might not get another chance like this one.

"Um, hi..." She greeted him, all nervous and shy. "What's your name?"

The boy was also captivated by Persis' natural beauty and the fact that she was flying on winged shoes made him believe that he was already in a dream.

"Prince Andros from Arthiopia... Or that I won't be in a future..." Connecting dots, Persis knew that, either the prince had done something terribly wrong and was being punished. Or, the most dangerous scenario, he was being used as sacrifice. "May I know the name of the beautiful lady that would be the last thing I see in this world?" That phrase alone made Persis blush like a hot fire.

"I- I'm Persis... And, what do you mean by that?" Even though her shyness around the gorgeous man, Persis' curiosity was playing against her.

"My- my mother, she..." Andros dropped his head, ashamed for speaking ill about his mother. "She just doesn't know when to shut up! That's what got me in this mess!"

"If I can help you..." Persis offered, trying to find any excuse to spend more time with him. _But what about your mother? You'll leave her to her fate, even though the pig is marrying someone else?! Focus, woman!_

"You cannot change the mind of a god, my fair lady..." Andros explained, smiling shy at her. "Now, to save my people, I'd die with honor, though I would had preferred that it wasn't somehow my fault in the beginning..." At Persis' raised eyebrow, Andros saw himself in the duty to explain. "My mother had the _brilliant_ idea of bragging that my skills were even better than Poseidon's son, Triton! You can imagine how I end up here... Being a sacrifice for one of his marine monsters"

Persis' mind was flying around, trying to find a solution to the problem Andros was facing. Slowly, her eyes fell on the bag next her, in her hand, with a plan in mind. But, it was risky, even the petition part.

"Andros, would you fulfill your promise?" She asked him, trying not to lose her courage. "Would you allow me to be the last thing you see with your eyes...?"

"If you, my fair Persis, can save me from this cruel destiny, I'd be doing with delight..." Andros promised, knowing exactly what it meant. He was never coming back to Arthiopia either way, so why not to trust in a winged stranger that was also the most beautiful woman he ever saw. Being brave before facing whatever the ocean was sending, Persis lowered her head and kissed Andros' cheek, surprising him.

"For good luck." She winked at him, before facing the ocean, with a serious face. The first she had to do was to kill the beast, a beast she didn't know of! But she didn't have to wait long enough as the beast showed up, earning screams from the watchers that were cowardly enough to send their prince to die, yet morbid enough to watch with any regrets.

The beast, twenty times Persis' size, was terrifying for everyone. But Persis denied to be scared away, so she flew around the beast, her size and fastness allowing her to make the precise cuts to weaken it. The beast ignored that it was being lead towards its own death and tried to wave Persis away the same way you and I would wave a fly away when it's getting annoying. However, Persis struck one last time, not with the blade, but with the treasure she went searching for.

The beast was dead in less than an hour. With the adrenaline, anyone could tell you it were simply ten minutes, but you could be wrong. Persis, exhausted, had the energy enough to release Andros from his chains before collapsing of exhaust in his arms. Which wasn't bad for any of them. As Andros held a sleeping Persis, along with her things, his parents rushed to meet him, happy that their only son was not sacrificed and was alive.

"Oh, Andros! I feared I had lost you!" Queen Cassiopeia cried at him, ignoring the girl in his arms. "This is great news! I had to send messengers to cancel your arranged marriaged, but now-"

"-I won't be fulfilling it either, Mother." Andros completed the sentence for her, shocking everyone. "Where was my fiancée when I was tied up to that rock? Or when you decided, alone, without giving it a second thought, that I should be sacrificed? All because you couldn't keep your thought to yourself and insult a god!" However true the words were, no one dared to say anything in favor of it. "She did it, alone. She doesn't know me, but I want to know her. You better find a new excise to condemn this kingdom, because I won't be the sheep again..."

Andros turned around and, still with Persis in his arms, left the sight of his parents.

* * *

Finally, it was the day that Persis returned to Sefiros.

But she didn't return alone.

Andros had fulfilled his promised and was next to her, offering support. They had got to know each other more and, if he had the approval of her mother, spend their lives together from that day on. Andros wasn't one for adventures and Persis agreed. She was just doing this to save her mother and Dictis from Polydectes.

She ignored what was going to come.

"You'll see, she's going to adore you!" Persis told Andros, right before they walked in her childhood house. "And, as long as you treat me right, Grandfather Dictis won't say...anything..." Andros was curious on why Persis' tone changed, but he understood it when he saw the mess of the house. It was like if someone was looking for something or someone, breaking everything on its way. "Polydectes..."

"Who...?"

"The King! He sent me to a suicide mission, thinking that I won't be able to come back so he could seduce my mother!" Persis screamed, angry at herself for had falling in such hideous trap. Andros didn't know what to do, so he just comforted her the best he could. "I- I need to take you to the temple..."

"I won't go without you..." Andros stated, but Persis was stubborn in her won way.

"Go. I don't want you to fall in a trap like me..." Persis argued back, a few tears falling down her eyes. Andros couldn't argue back, he didn't have to the heart to do so now, so he kissed her, hoping it wasn't the last time. After that bittersweet moment, Persis frowned and walked towards the palace, where she walked in unannounced, to find Polydectes having a banquet with his generals. "Polydectes! Here's your stupid gift!" She shouted at him, tossing him the bag with Medusa's head inside.

However, Persis' anger-or the gods' hand, though she never consider it-made her miss her shot and Medusa's head fell off the protective bag, with her eyes open and facing the table, the back facing Persis. The amazed and fearful generals and Polydectes saw their last sight in Medusa's eyes, before turning into stone, to horror of the slaves and servitude.

Persis fell on her knees, crying her eyes out. Her mother was gone? Was Dictis gone as well? Had she made a mistake sending Andros away?

"Persis...?" Persis finally looked up and turned around, to see her mother, alive and well, rushing towards her. Behind her, Andros and Dictis were walking, peacefully. "Oh, my baby is home again!" Danae hugged Persis tight against her, while Andros did the dangerous task of covering Medusa's head.

"I thought I had lost you..." Persis recognized, hugging her mother tight back.

"You never will."


End file.
